In February 2025, as the closing song of his hit deluxe album “Kansas Anymore (The Longest Goodbye),” ROLE MODEL released the emotional title track, “The Longest Goodbye.”
The song quickly became a fan favorite, as listeners understood it to mark him overcoming his breakup and hardship while also ending the “Kansas Anymore” era. However, in July, ROLE MODEL surprised fans with a new version featuring Laufey, a collaboration that completely transformed the song’s meaning while still preserving its original emotion and essence.
In the first verse of both versions, ROLE MODEL states, “You were a brand new blue jean, picket on the front lawn, a reason just to get off the floor,” which starts as a hidden compliment, comparing her to positive things. However, using the crucial “were” here demonstrates how those feelings are from the past.
By stating “from a friend to a stranger, a simple rearranger,” ROLE MODEL is acknowledging the start of the end.
To finish off the first verse of both songs, ROLE MODEL states, “I don’t think you love me anymore.” This concludes his thought that no matter how much he tries, he is aware that the other person is done and ready to move on.
In the second verse of the original version, ROLE MODEL states, “I was a headache some days, surely now one’s perfect, loving me’s like doing a chore.” This represents ROLE MODEL coming to terms and reflecting on the mistakes he has made in his past relationship.
“But you told me you’d hold me, forget the matrimony.” This lyric hits hard, truly showing how in love he felt with the other person, promising life and forever comfort. This shows how he’s still holding on to past memories.
Then, finally, ROLE MODEL states, “I don’t think I love you anymore,” which finally marks a monumental moment in his life. After fighting for a while, wanting the other person back, he has finally released the past, coming to terms that what he had with the other person is over, and announcing he is ready to move on.
To end the song, ROLE MODEL says again, “I don’t think you love me anymore, and I don’t think I love you anymore.” In this line, he is showing how, even though the person he loved does not feel the same anymore, he has come to terms with it and reciprocates that.
However, in the last line, he says, “But I don’t think I’ll ever be so sure.” This line, which ends the song, represents that he is still thinking about them, and maybe always will be, but is not going to hold them in such a special place anymore.
This song is incredibly heartbreaking, only to be truly understood by someone going through all of the stages of breakup grief. With Laufey’s voice woven in, the song somehow becomes even more devastating.
In ”The Longest Goodbye (feat. Laufey),” the second verse starts off with Laufey singing, “You were a headache some days, but surely no one’s perfect. Loving you’s like doing a chore.” This completely reverses the perspective. Instead of ROLE MODEL reflecting on his own flaws, those criticisms are now directed at him. We are finally hearing the other person’s side.
Laufey continues with the line, “Instead of blaming and bruising, and watching what I’m losing.” This suggests Laufey feels she has to walk away from the relationship to protect herself. Even so, her words betray the possibility that her feelings linger.
Then, Laufey states, “I don’t think I love you anymore.” This is another moment where, instead of it being ROLE MODEL’s turning point, it is based completely on Laufey and her feelings. Back in the first verse, ROLE MODEL said, “I don’t think you love me anymore,” and now Laufey confirmed it.
To start the last verse of this song, ROLE MODEL restates “I don’t think you love me anymore,” which triggers Laufey to restate “And I don’t think I love you anymore.” Instead of this being ROLE MODEL’s moment of acceptance, it is solely based on Laufey reiterating that she has to move on for ROLE MODEL to move on, almost as if she’s being the bigger person.
The last line of this song is said by ROLE MODEL, where he says, “But I don’t think I’ll ever be so sure,” which is another big change in the song. Instead of ROLE MODEL saying he is not sure if he’s truly over his former lover, since he never said he’s over her, it is ROLE MODEL saying he is not sure that his ex is over him. This could introduce a piece of their relationship that the listeners are unaware of.
After deeper research, it has come to show that the feature shows itself as ROLE MODEL’s biggest fear. In the original version, ROLE MODEL comes to terms with how he has acted in his past relationship, but is showing his improvement and how he plans on moving on and making himself feel better.
However, in Laufey’s version, it feels as if the listeners are watching ROLE MODEL’s worst fears come to life. It truly encapsulates when someone is up late at night, unable to sleep, overthinking every single mistake they have made, how everyone feels about such, and completely exaggerating the events.
